A prominent West Hollywood businessman, RJ Holguin, has sustained life-altering spinal cord injuries after a catastrophic Los Angeles water main break left streets flooded and muddy. Holguin, owner of My 12 Step Store and RJDesign LA, fell on a waterlogged road on July 16 while navigating the aftermath of the incident.
The rupture of a 36-inch trunk line, which had been in place for 110 years, near Sunset Boulevard and Holloway Drive unleashed an estimated 17 million gallons of water. The surge flooded streets, created a large sinkhole, and inundated homes and underground parking garages.
Holguin had retrieved his car after his building's garage flooded and parked it near his business. Later that night, around 11:30 p.m., he was walking in a marked crosswalk on Santa Monica Boulevard when he attempted to avoid an approaching car. While jumping backward, he lost his footing on the wet, muddy roadway.
He reported feeling an "electric shock" before blacking out. Upon regaining consciousness, he had difficulty speaking and experienced reduced sensation in his hands. Doctors diagnosed him with central cord syndrome, a condition resulting from injuries to the C3 through C6 vertebrae that compressed his spinal cord. This syndrome can significantly impair movement and sensation, particularly in the hands and arms.
Following surgery, Holguin was moved to an inpatient rehabilitation unit where he is undergoing physical and speech therapy. He described his recovery as a slow but progressing process. This injury represents another significant challenge for Holguin, who had previously spent years recovering from a vocal cord injury.
City crews worked for days to repair the damage caused by the infrastructure failure, with Sunset Boulevard reopening to traffic on July 24. A separate, smaller pipe leak on Santa Monica Boulevard occurred on July 23, and officials indicated that additional lane closures would be necessary for permanent repaving.